I snatch it out of his hand. I grit my teeth together and answer with a hard, “Fine.”
There is no way in hell I’ll use that card.
Max turns to his beautiful daughter and whispers loudly enough for us all to hear, “You tell me if Tina doesn’t use that. Okay, honey?”
Uh, Max! You suck!
Ceecee looks up at Max like he’s the best dad in the whole world. And to tell you the truth, I’m starting to believe he is. She answers him softly, “Okay, daddy.”
I look to Nik then Max and point out, “We’ve got to go. We’re going to be late.”
Ceecee and I wave to them both and head to the elevator.
That went better than expected.
***
Ceecee and I are on the sidewalk and I ask her, “Do you want to wheel yourself or do you mind if I push you along?”
She shoots me a shy smile, “I dunno. Whatever you want. I’m okay with either.”
I jump up and click my heels together, Ceecee laughs at my silliness. I hoot, “Hot damn! I always wanted to drive your car!”
I push her along the sidewalk up the road to the salon. I’ve called ahead and let them know Ceecee is wheelchair bound. Luckily, they have suitable access.
A woman coming out of the salon holds the door open for us, we go in and thank her.
Tanya owns Bells and Whistles salon. I’ve been getting manicures from her and her girls for two years and I like her a lot. When I called I told her I needed a deluxe princess treatment and she worked out a schedule for us. Tanya is in her forties but looks about thirty. She is always made up and her long hair is dyed a vivid red.
As soon as Ceecee spots her making her way over to us she gasps, her voice awed, “Can I get my hair like that?” I actually laugh out loud at the thought of bringing her back to Max with bright red hair.
“Well, hey there Tina! Is this Princess Ceecee that’s scheduled in with us today?” Tanya is looking down at Ceecee with a huge smile on her pretty face.
I chuckle and state, “This is the one and only Princess Ceecee.” I decide to act out a bit. I put my nose in the air. “I demand the best of service for her. Her father is a king after all.”
Ceecee giggles and covers her mouth with one hand. Tanya widens her eyes and she plays along, “But, of course. Only the best of service for Princess Ceecee. Please, come this way.”
I push Ceecee over to the first station for a facial. As I walk past Tanya she scrunches up her face, puts a hand on her chest and mouths, “She’s beautiful.”
Don’t I know it.
Tanya takes a seat beside Ceecee’s chair and explains what will be done to her today. “Okay, princess Ceecee, today we’re going to start with a facial. That’s where I’ll put some cold goop on your face. We’ll leave it on for about ten minutes and then wipe it off. Then I’ll do your fingernails and toe nails. You can pick whatever color you want on them. After that, I’ll trim and style your hair. And we’ll finish up with a massage. How does that sound, honey bun?”
Ceecee’s eyes are wide. She whispers to Tanya, “Good. Thank you.”
Tanya smiles big at Ceecee, “Well you’re a princess and you deserve the best, sweetie.”
Ceecee smiles, lowers her eyes and whispers, “Okay.”
Sweet baby Jesus, I love this child.
Every time I see Ceecee my heart melts. She is so lovable and warm. She seems is disbelief whenever someone compliments her, though. That bothers me. By the end of today I want her to feel good. As good as she’s ever felt.
Tanya applies our face masks and while we’re waiting for them to set I hear Ceecee singing along with the radio. “You are now, now rockin’ with Will.I.Am and Britney, Bitch.”
I gasp and softly reprimand her, “Ceecee, we are ladies and princesses, and we do not say b i t c h.” I end on a whisper and have no idea why I felt the need to spell the word when she just said it.
Ceecee becomes thoughtful then looks back to me and says, “But Britney said bitch and she’s a lady.”
Damn it, Britney. Now look at what you’ve done!
My eye twitches as I try to think of an acceptable answer, “Ah, I guess…Well…That is…Britney is over the age of twenty one. She is an adult and she can do what she likes. And she isn’t a princess.” I pat her hand and feel I’ve won this round.
Her eyes widen and she says slowly, “So, when I’m twenty one I can do whatever I like?”
Without thinking I say, “Sure.”
She leans closer to me and drops a bomb. “Even get a tattoo?”
Oh, Poop! How did this happen??!
I sputter, “Uh, yes, I suppose…”
Ceecee becomes so excited she almost yells, “That’s so cool! I want one just like daddy and uncle Nik’s. That way everyone will know we’re family.”
“…with your father’s permission, of course.”
But Ceecee doesn’t hear me, she’s too far gone in her mind getting all sorts of crazy ideas that people frown upon.
After our facials, manicures, and pedicures Tanya brings us a lunch of sandwiches and fruit salad. Ceecee eats half a sandwich and some fruit. When I coax her to eat more she gives me some information I never knew. She tells me, “Daddy said people in wheelchairs don’t eat much. They don’t have to eat as much as regular people.”
Sorrow painfully shoots through my chest. I don’t like what she just said.
I respond, “Honey, you are regular people. You’ve just got a sweet ride, that’s all.”
She smiles a sad smile, “It’s okay, Tina. I know I’m different. It’s why I don’t make any friends and change schools a lot.”
My face drops. I cautiously ask, “How many times have you changed schools, angel?”
She toys with a piece of cantaloupe on her plate, avoiding my gaze and replies, “Four times in three years.”
That. Is. Huge. No child should be changing schools that much.
“Can I ask why, honey?” I ask carefully.
Still avoiding my eyes, she explains in a small voice, “People make fun of me. They call me weird. They say I’m a freak.” My heart is actually breaking. I can feel it split in two. Her blank eyes focus on my legs and she continues quietly, “I never make any friends. I don’t know why.” She finishes with a small shrug and is so quiet I can barely hear her.
This is so upsetting to me.
I can’t even imagine how this little angel feels. Bullying is a huge issue nationwide. The unfortunate truth is kids can be cruel. They don’t realize what they’re actually doing to a person when they poke fun at them.
I clear my throat to clear any thickness and steady my voice. “Well, that’s going to change. You’re a princess. Princesses don’t let people make fun of them. They stick up for themselves. And I’ll tell you how. Whenever someone says something ugly to you, lift your hand, smile and wave at them. That way, it’s them who look silly. Not you.”